A studio for bird study

Tag: wildlife

January 21, 2016

Black Rosy-Finch Use Cliff Swallow Nests to Roost

by Bryce W. Robinson

 

East of Boise, Idaho, on a cliffside along the Boise River is a conglomerate cliffside of volcanic rock. On this cliffside is a group Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) nests. The Cliff Swallow is migratory, so during the winter months the Cliff Swallow does not occupy these nests.

In winter, the mud cavity nest sites are utilized by other bird species as roost sites. Interesting, to me, is that wintering Rosy-Finch species use these nest sites as well. I finally succeeded in capturing a video clip of a Black Rosy-Finch (Leucosticte atrata) entering a mud cavity to roost for the evening.

The composition of the flocks at this particular site are also of interest. Take a look at the eBird checklist of the time I spent filming this small flock. Most were Black Rosy-Finch, the next most numerous were “Hepburn’s” which are a coastal breeding subspecies of Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, and there was only one “tephrocotis” Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, the interior subspecies.

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S27027048

The regularity of this Cliff Swallow – Rosy-Finch relationship is of interest to me. I have read accounts of the behavior in California and Washington, but these accounts are few. I do not know of other areas that these birds currently use Cliff Swallow nests, but I will be searching for them and would appreciate any information from other’s observations.

Wintering ecology, what a fascinating faction of bird study.

 

 

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Video | January 5, 2016

American x Eurasian Wigeon Hybrid

by Bryce W. Robinson

 

The phenotypic expression that results from hybridization is fascinating, especially in colorful birds such as the male ducks. One duck hybridization I enjoy is the American x Eurasian Wigeon. The subtle combination between the traits of the two species is pleasing to the eye, but also presents a fun and satisfying ID challenge.

I found a drake American x Eurasian Wigeon the other day in a large group of American Wigeon feeding on a grass field at a large sports park in Boise, ID. The winter group that frequents this field every year generally holds a drake Eurasian Wigeon. This year no Eurasian, but a hybrid.

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Note the retention of the American Wigeon head pattern. The Eurasian has a beautiful red-orange head with a golden fore-crown. The neck and auriculars do not differ in color than the superciliary and hind-neck as in the American. This hybrid holds the American pattern, but with strong Eurasian coloring throughout the head. The other most obvious quality on this bird is the gray flanks unlike the American Wigeon which have rufous flanks. Thus, the combination of American head pattern with reddish hints and the gray flanks are enough to confidently call this bird an American x Eurasian Hybrid.

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Eurasian Wigeon sure show up regularly each winter in N. America. I’d love to know if the regularity of Eurasian in N. America mirrors the regularity of American in Asia. It’s fun to wonder, but with the growing popularity of eBird, answering these types of questions are beginning to seem more and more possible.

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August 12, 2015

Plumage in Transition: Red Phalarope Pre-Basic Molt

by Bryce W. Robinson

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I don’t often post a large amount of photos from one subject, but I think this bird deserves the coverage. I was birding the western Alaskan coastline with my friends Neil and Ellen the other day when we found this male Red Phalarope – Phalaropus fulicarius. Even better, the bird was mid-way through its pre-basic molt, giving it a unique look. This was the first time I’d ever seen this transitional plumage. REPH_1501

The new feathers of the basic plumage are blue-grey. The old feathers of the alternate plumage are gold and black. It’s a striking difference. Also note the orange body feathers of the alternate plumage, and the white feathers of the basic plumage. These birds are so colorful during their breeding periods on the pools of the Arctic tundra, but after this short period ends they molt into a cool plumage reminiscent of their winter haunts, the open ocean and coastlines. These color changes mean something, or better put, they have context. What a satisfying process, to see a bird in a state like this male and recall that the appearance has a story (begs the question, why the difference in appearance between seasons?).

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Although the bird was midway through its molt, it is still identifiable as a male. You can see in the crown that the retained feathers are brown and gold. If it were a female, these retained feathers would be wholly black, and bold. The gold and brown around the face and on the nape also tell its sex.
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This bird was so cooperative that I was able to take my fill of photos. It’s rare to see this species in a plumage such as this, so I’m happy that I was able to capture many different angles and views, truly document the bird, and even put the camera down and simply watch. I feel spoiled with the way the birding has been lately here in western Alaska. Too many great things to see, too may things to shoot with the camera, too many experiences to write about. Just the way life should be.REPH_1505REPH_1504 REPH_1507 REPH_1509

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August 8, 2015

Short-tailed Shearwater

by Bryce W. Robinson

I’ve seen a lot of North America’s birdlife, but there are certain bird groups where my exposure is lacking. One area is birds of the sea, or what we refer to as pelagic species. I haven’t seen many of these birds, particularly those that belong to the order Procellariiformes. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of species from this group that I’ve seen. So understandably I’d be interested in gaining more exposure in any way.

The other day I was birding the western Alaska coastline with my friends Neil Paprocki and Ellen Whittle. We were paying a lot of attention to the sea because we were looking to see puffins and a few loon species. I myself have spent a great deal of time watching the sea from the Alaskan coast, and I’ve never seen anything from the order Procellariiformes. On this day I had a first. We noticed a dark bird floating along the shoreline, maybe 100 m out. After scoping the bird, I knew that it was a Short-tailed Shearwater, a lifer for me and a long awaited bird. I was, to understate it entirely, excited.

The sight raised one thought in my mind, that the bird was obviously ill in some manner. It seemed to be sleepy, unconcerned by our presence, and very near shore (uncommon among these types of birds). So, something was likely wrong with the bird. Still, I took the proper satisfaction from studying the bird and enjoying its subdued behaviors.

I took some video (above) using my Zeiss Victory Diascope 65 F* TL that show the bird at a peak in its activity while we were watching. Notice the bird take a drink at the end of the video. If we drank seawater we’d in effect die of dehydration due to the high salt concentration. But, seabirds can drink saltwater. They excrete the excess salt through their nostrils. Observing this bird drinking the saltwater, and recalling their adaption for surviving life on the ocean was another moment where I saw something in real time that I had read about previously. Such an incredible experience, and behavior birding at its best.

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